GamerLegion has taken a significant step by moving Erik ‘ztr’ Gustafsson to the bench after a lackluster StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 performance. This decision marks the end of Gustafsson’s year-and-a-half stint in the starting lineup of the German esports organization.
The Swedish in-game leader joined GamerLegion in July 2024 and quickly made a mark by propelling the team into the top 10 of the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) by June 2025. However, maintaining this momentum proved challenging, and the team ultimately fell outside the top 20 in December’s standings.
Following appearances in the playoffs at IEM Melbourne 2025 and IEM Dallas 2025, GamerLegion hoped to build on this success in the latter half of the year. Unfortunately, a series of early exits from top-tier tournaments, culminating in an early departure from the Budapest Major during Stage 1, capped off a disappointing six-month run.
“Over the past one and a half years, we’ve been through countless ups and downs together, including the most consecutive playoff appearances in our history. Thank you for everything, Erik,” expressed GamerLegion on social media, reflecting on their journey with ztr.
Ztr’s benching is not the only change in the Counter-Strike 2 roster for GamerLegion. On December 10th, the organization announced that Ashley ‘ash’ Battye stepped down from his Head Coach role due to personal reasons.
What Next For GamerLegion?
Currently sitting at the 21st rank in the VRS, GamerLegion is on the lookout for a new in-game leader to bounce back from its recent setbacks. With teams like Ninjas in Pyjamas also shaking up their rosters, it’s anticipated that more adjustments will follow across the competitive scene before the new season kicks off.
Rumors have recently emerged about 100 Thieves potentially signing GamerLegion players. Nicolas Reber, CEO of GamerLegion, confirmed that discussions with North American organizations had occurred, though there have been no talks regarding player or core sales.
As GamerLegion embarks on this search to replace ztr, observers are keen to see the direction the team will take as they prepare for the upcoming year.